A Battle To The End
by naturespirit
Summary: Post HPB Dumbledore's dead and buried and Greyback's pack has been hunting down Order Members. The Death Eaters make an unexpected move. Snape is trying to get back in the Order, but he needs outside help. canon and original characters. pairings: SnapeOC
1. The Party

**Author's Note: **As you might have guessed, I own nothing that has been mentioned in JKR's books. To make a short presentation, the action takes place right after HPB, starting in the summer vacation, before what should be Harry's 7th year at Hogwarts. Also, allow me to introduce the Craide family: pureblood wizards and supporters of Voldemort – you'll learn more about them as the story unfolds.

**1. The Party**

A knock on the large wooden door broke the silence of the room. Riana had just finished dressing and was sitting before a mirror, pushing back a loose strand of blonde hair that didn't seem to want to stay where it was supposed to.

"Come in." she said, absently.

She was a little nervous, and with good reason. Her father had mentioned to her that they, she and her brother, were to meet some 'very special friends', which in her book clearly spelled 'Death Eaters'. She always hated being around such people – they were unpredictable and dangerous, not to mention disgusting. But Riana had no choice but to follow her father's orders. _Speaking of the wolf…_ she thought, as she watched the tall, blonde, blue-eyed man enter her room.

"Aren't you ready yet?" he snapped at her.

Deke Craide seemed even more nervous than she was, which was rather unusual for him. Of course, she knew the reason: she had been the only Ravenclaw after a very long line of Slytherins in the family. That had made her mother proud, but her father had been very disappointed. He was always harsh to her, when she was to be in the company of his aquaintances.

"Actually, I am." She replied coldly, moving toward the doorway.

Deke only nodded and extended his arm to her, which she took reluctantly. Leaving the door for a House Elf to close, he walked Riana through a long corridor, to a set of stairs. From the top, she could see the familiar living room, now filled with a great number of people. Obviously, her father had thrown another one of his elaborate parties, to mask a meeting with certain people. And it took Riana only a few moments to spot some key figures: Lucius Malfoy, and his son, Draco. She frowned. They definitely weren't the kind of people in the presence of which she could spend a pleasant evening. Unfortunately for her, the Malfoys had been friends with the Craides for generations, and Lucius and Deke had always seemed to be particularly fond of each other.

Her father was just starting to get impatient, when, from the other end of the hall, the figures of Rebecca and Garren made themselves seen. Riana was a little surprised to see that her mother was wearing her black hair loose, something she hadn't done for years. Her brother looked particularly distinguished as well: he was the splitting image of his mother, after all. For a brief moment, she wondered if it all had a reason, but the thought was quickly thrown aside.

As her mother and brother reached the stairs, Riana could hear her father whisper a "Took you long enough" under his breath, but immediately after, he put on his polite smile, took his wife by her waist and made their entrance downstairs. Garren followed them, his posture proud. Riana chuckled to herself. Her little brother wanted to seem relaxed, but instead he managed to spread the impression that he had a fairly long broomstick shoved up his rear.

The whole scene was too familiar to the woman, and what was to come, far too predictable. Deke and Rebecca had stopped right in front of Lucius, Narcissa and Draco Malfoy. Riana and Garren followed.

"Wonderful to see you all here." Deke began, with a small bow.

Riana rolled her eyes, as her father repeated the gesture to both mrs. Malfoy and her son, and they returned a similar greeting. _He couldn't have meant them… We've known them for ages._ She thought, trying to throw another look around the room, as discretely as she could, intending to spot the person her parents wanted her to meet. Unfortunately, just then Deke turned everyone's attention to her, and she had to give up her search in favor of a pleasant smile and a nod to the Malfoys, as her father told them:

"Of course, you remember our daughter, Riana… our son, Garren."

Riana had distinctly noticed a superior look from Lucius, a cold and indifferent one from his wife, and an equally arrogant and mocking one from Draco. The boy had been in his first year when she was in her last one at Hogwarts. One year was enough time for him to notice that she had been equally friendly to Muggleborns, and that was enough to earn her the label 'Blood Traitor'.

As they started to comment on the weather, Riana resumed her scanning of the room. They were definitely supposed to meet someone, so why were they wasting time talking nonsense. _Unless, they haven't arrived yet._ She thought. Then she caught a glimpse of Draco's expression. He was grinning, his eyes expressing irony. _So he knows who it is. _And the thought made her dislike the situation even more. Her brother, on the other hand, was throwing Malfoy inquiring looks, hoping that his fellow Slytherin would give him some clue as to what they were waiting for.

And, without warning, a low voice spoke from right behind them.

"Good evening, Deke, I hope we find you well."

Riana turned around, along with the rest of her family, only to meet the familiar face of her old Potions Professor, Severus Snape. _He's got some nerve, showing his face in public!_ The news of Dumbledore's death – where and how it happened – had obviously spread with the speed of lightning.

As her father was going through the polite exchange of greetings and showed the unbelievable hypocrisy of pretending that he didn't expect to see him there, Riana noticed that Snape hadn't come on his own. There was a man standing next to him. A man that made chills run through her spine. He had sharp fangs and claws, and he hadn't even had the decency of dress into something that wasn't stained with blood.

Her eyes still on the man, and overcome by repulsion, Riana returned her attention to the conversation just in time to hear Snape introduce him.

"Fenrir Greyback."

A quick look behind her revealed a grinning Lucius and a rather uncomfortable and slightly more pale Draco. Turning her gaze to Deke, she noticed, by the expression on her father's face, that he knew the man, and that he was the one they were expecting. They shook hands, and mr. Craide muttered loud enough for the Malfoys to hear as well:

"Let's get to business."

Without a single word more, he made his way through the crowd, with the rest of the group right behind him. Rebecca had remained behind to see to the guests, who seemed to be clueless, as always, about the real reason they were there.

As they left the room, Draco made his way to Riana's side.

"Your Mudblood friends doing alright?" he asked, mockingly.

"Actually they are, thank you." She replied coldly. She decided she wasn't going to lower herself to his level.

"Just wait 'till you see what plans they have for you." He continued, in the same tone.

This time, a drop of fear made itself noticed on Riana's face. No, she definitely didn't want anything to do with any of them. Her father wouldn't make her get involved with them… Or would he? Seeing the expression on her face, Draco laughed.

"What do you mean?" she asked, trying to keep her calm.

But the boy never had a chance to answer. They had reached Deke's study, and entered. Draco left her side, to join his father's. Just then Riana noticed that Narcissa had also stayed behind.


	2. Plans

**2. Plans**

The image that met Riana's eyes was one that, after tonight, she would remember for a very long time. She was still in the doorway, but everyone else had taken their places, as if they had rehearsed the scene many times before. Deke and Garren were standing in front of the desk, directly facing the woman. A few steps to the right, leaning against a wall were Draco and Lucius. On the opposite side of the room, a small distance from her father stood Severus. Next to the professor, but closest to the door was Greyback. He was picking his teeth, pretending to be absent to what was going on around him. Everyone was more or less discretely staring at her, except for Draco, who had thrown a quick look at Greyback and was now intensely eyeing the floor.

Riana's heart sank deeper with every step she took. So Draco was right. They really had something in store for her. Feeling everyone's eyes on her, she made her way next to her father. Turning around to face everyone, she noticed that even Fenrir was eyeing her, grinning. She decided she was never going to forgive her father for this.

Snape, it seemed, was the first one to grow impacient. He turned his gaze to Deke.

"What have you told her?"

"Nothing." Came a serene answer from mr. Craide. "I thought it would be best if she heard the complete plan all at once. And that is something we have yet to agree on."

Severus nodded calmly and shot Greyback a look. The latter, however, was in no hurry to begin. He lazily walked to the center of the room, slowly licking his lips. Riana's hands began to shake slightly, and she hid them behind her back. She wanted to at least look brave, even if she didn't feel that way. Under the narrowed eyes of Snape and Malfoy, Greyback began his report.

"You must have heard the latest news, from the Prophet if not from the Dark Lord himself" he grinned slightly. "My pack killed another member of that pathetic Order. One would think they'd give up now that Dumbledore's dead."

"It seems there are many fools in this world." Lucius commented with a bored expression on the face. "Now continue, Fenrir."

The werewolf, on the other hand, wasn't too happy to receive orders. There was another long pause before he began to speak again.

"The one we killed was a woman called Nymphadora Tonks. She was accompanied by a certain Remus Lupin, that we long suspected to be in Dumbledore's group."

Snape's face seemed to be carved out of stone. Not one muscle had moved.

"Now we have the confirmation. He managed to escape, though, we only wounded him."

Only now did Snape's left eye twitch, his eyebrows frowning.

"And what does that have to do with the plan?" he snapped.

"Temper, temper…" Greyback replied mockingly. Snape looked angry, so the werewolf decided it was best to continue. "The most interesting thing is that this Lupin had been seen around my caves, stirring up trouble."

"Probably trying to recruit more werewolves for the Order." Replied Deke, interfering in the conversation for the first time.

Snape bit his lower lip, but said nothing. Lucius found it was time for him to take over. Greyback didn't seem too pleased.

"Precisely. And the Dark Lord finds that is exactly what we need. Allow him the impression that you haven't noticed a thing. All we need is to plant there someone, who will pretend interested in joining them. Let them think they will have a new member, when they will actually get a spy."

Malfoy's cold eyes sparkled, as he grinned. Draco had raised his eyes from the ground, mirroring his father's expression. Riana began to understand her purpose.

"And who is that going to be?" Garren asked, curiously.

His father shot him a disapproving look, but Snape answered him, a small grin surfacing in the corner of his thin lips.

"Your sister."

There was silence for a moment. Riana turned slightly pale, her pounding heartbeats breaking the silence. Luckily, no one else could hear them. _No reason to be scared…_ she thought _It's not like I wasn't expecting this._ Her brother, however, wasn't too pleased by that.

"Why her?" he asked, frowning. Clearly, he found that he would do a much better job of it, than Riana.

"Think for a moment." Snape replied, with a strange sparkle in his eyes. "A heartbroken Lupin, wounded and alone… A charming young woman, ready to offer her shoulder for him to cry on…"

Riana's face went pink, and her eyes were narrowed on her former teacher. She was not going to do anything like that, she decided on the spot. Garren still wasn't convinced.

"But she's not even a Death Eater!"

"Of course she isn't!" His father snapped. "We couldn't risk her having a Dark Mark on her forearm, now could we? Sooner or later, someone in the Order would see it. We can't afford to lose a well placed spy."

_So that's all that I am to my father…_ She thought, feeling even worse. She knew very well that her own brother would have given anything to be on a mission for the Dark Lord, but she would happily give up the privilege, if she only could. Deke turned to her, with a serious face.

"You will leave with Greyback tonight, and report to Severus every two days, or whenever something significant will happen."

"Why him?" She heard herself ask, her voice clearly showing that she would rather eat dirt than see Snape's face so often.

She hand't meant to offend him, though, so she threw him a quick look, to see whether he was upset. To her surprise, Severus seemed to be almost grinning.

"Because, should someone find out that you are keeping touch with him, no one would suspect the respectable Craides or Malfoys. He's…" Deke shrugged. "Well, he's already been discredited… The Ministry looking for him, and all that…"

Riana was left with no retort. It was logical, but certainly unfair. She didn't dare turn to see the expression on his face. If not for the recent events at Hogwarts, she might have even felt sorry for him. There was a moment's pause.

"How will I do that?" she inquired, her voice faint.

"With the _Specularis_ charm." Snape's cold voice sounded from behind her. "Speak the incantation and tap the wand on any surface. It acts exactly like a two-way mirror."

She only nodded, but after a moment, she decided to ask the question that had been spinning around in her head for the past few minutes.

"Will I have to… be turned into a werewolf?..."

"Not necessarily." Greyback answered her question, even though the look on his face expressed that he rather she would have to be bitten. "You can tell him you were captured and I'm waiting for the full moon so I can turn you into one."

"That will make him have to act fast. And the way he is now, it's unlikely he will be stopped by suspicion… That is, if play your part well." Lucius shot the woman a cold look, that translated pretty much in 'do your best, or else'. Riana merely nodded.

"Now go get changed into something more simple." Her father spoke, his voice a little more gentle than it had been all evening. "You will introduce yourself to them as 'Riana Manson', don't forget."

As the woman exited the room, her skin turned from red to pale, and she felt slightly dizzy. _Talk about sudden turns…_ She thought. She couldn't help thinking that that could very well be the last look she might ever get to throw around her parents' mansion.

She made her way into the party, and noticed her mother sitting in a corner, looking as bad as she felt. Narcissa was absently patting her on the shoulder. Thinking she should at least say goodbye, Riana walked to her mother. As their gazes met, Rebecca stood up from the chair to hug her daughter and wish her 'good luck'. Riana was incapable of speaking. She was fighting back tears and almost ran out of the room and up the staircase as soon as she escaped from her mother's caress.

Sprinting through the corridor, she only stopped in front of her bedroom door. She entered, shut the door behind her and leaned against it, closing her eyes and taking a few deep breaths.


	3. More Plans

**3. More Plans**

Severus watched her leave the room, looking as if she was about to pass out. She wasn't fit for this. 6 years had passed since the last time he had the opportunity to observe her properly, but at first glance she seemed to have changed only a little. Behind him, Deke and Greyback were discussing the number of spies they should use to make sure she was going to do as she was told. Severus suddenly turned his face to them, instantly realizing what it was best for him to do.

"People might get suspicious if we all come back in the same compact group. I'll go join the party, I suggest the rest of you do the same at different intervals." He spoke, absently, his mind focusing on what he was about to do.

He made a few steps towards the door, then stood still, remembering one last detail.

"Greyback, when you're done with Deke, wait at the back door of the mansion – it wouldn't be wise to be seen leaving with her."

And with those words, he left, leaving behind a slightly bewildered Deke, a suspicious-looking Lucius and a growling Fenrir; the werewolf hated receiving orders.

Swiftly as a shadow, Severus made his way through the hallways, back to the party, his thoughts racing. He knew her well enough to be certain that she wasn't going to help Death Eaters. He was going to to make sure she didn't get herself killed, though. As he entered the living room, he managed to catch a glimpse of the girl at the top of the stairs and disappearing to the left. Careful not to run into Narcissa or Rebecca and hoping that neither would notice him, he continued his way, up the staircase. He entered the large stone corridor just in time to hear a door being slammed, and hurried his pace.

Strangely, as he came to a halt in front of her bedroom door, he wasn't so convinced that he was doing the right thing anymore. Was she going to do what he expected her to do? Or was she going to simply follow the plan? Then, an idea came to mind.

Severus crouched down, taking a quick look through the keyhole. He saw her taking a seat on a bed, facing the door, and obviously, himself. _Excellent._ Not wasting a second, he pointed the wand at her, through the keyhole and muttered something. Whatever that word was, it was clearly something powerful, because his mind was now receiving all her thoughts.

* * *

Taking one last deep breath, Riana went to sit on the bed. What was she going to do? Leaving in the company of that Fenrir Greyback could very well be her sentence to death. She had been given an important mission, surely she would be harshly punished, should she fail. Maybe even killed. But if she managed to fool that Remus Lupin and make it into the Order, but they would find out she was really a spy? What then? She had never met any members of that Order, she didn't know what kind of people they were. Wouldn't they kill her on the spot, should they find her out? And what if, even worse, she would make it into the Order, and no one found her out? She would pass information to the Dark Lord, for how long? Until the last Order member was dead? And afterwards, what? No more hope for peace. Why should she help the Death Eaters, when that would only ensure chaos and desperation for the world, herself included.

Riana shuddered at the thought. No, she had to find another way. Maybe, once she would get into the Order, she would manage to stay with them, to fight against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. She shook her head. No, that wouldn't work. She would lie to enter the group in the first place, why would they trust her later? But then, what if she told them the truth? Her eyebrows raised slightly. That seemed like a better idea. She would tell that Lupin the real reason she was there, and ask him to get her in the Order for real.

A sudden knock on the door made Riana jump from the bed. The door opened before she could say a thing and in the doorway stood the dark figure of Severus Snape. Unable to control herself, she blushed. She knew Snape was an exceptional Legilimens, her father had pointed that out every time she and her brother were to come face to face with him. Could he have read her thoughts?

"What are you doing here?" She snapped, trying to blame his intrusion for the crimson color of her cheeks.

Severus only frowned, slamming the door behind him, and took two more steps inside her room.

"I want to have a serious word with you." He spoke coldly, firmly.

She froze. He knew? Already? Trying to get a grip on herself, she decided she would deny everything. It might have been childish, but it was the only hope that she wouldn't have to face her father's wrath.

"If there was more to it, how come you didn't mention it earlier?" She replied, trying her best to control her voice, so it wouldn't betray the fear she felt.

"Because it's not something for them to hear, Riana!" He snapped, as if she was supposed to know that. "Unfortunately, there is very little time and I have too much to explain." He continued on a lower voice, and threw a quick look at the door behind himself, as if he expected someone to barge in at any moment.

She was startled by the intimate way in which he had spoken to her. She had always been 'miss Craide' before him, and she couldn't understand why the sudden change. A part of her mind was rushing back to her old schoolgirl fantasies, but she violently brought herself back to reality. That was the worst possible time for remembering daydreams.

"I'm listening." Her tone was less aggressive now.

"I have to warn you – don't be foolish. Greyback will have many werewolves watching you, making sure you do what you are supposed to. Stick to the plan, at least until you are accepted in the Order." He was serious, but not angry.

Riana didn't know what to believe anymore. Obviously, he knew what she had intended to do, but he seemed to be advising her on how to do it better. She frowned. If she didn't know any better, she would say he was actually on the Order's side… But he couldn't… Not after he killed Dumbledore. Seeing the confused look on her face, Severus continued.

"If you are sincere about your intentions, then you will have to trust me, and do as I say."

He was broken off by Riana, who didn't try to hide her emotions anymore.

"How? How can I trust you, after you killed the Order's last hope to succeed?" She was panting slightly and had grown even redder in the face.

The blow wasn't too pleasant to Severus. He moved his eyes away from her. Of course, he had seen something like that coming.

"He was already dying.." He muttered, then he returned his gaze to her face. "I had made an Unbreakable Vow to Narcissa Black that, should Draco fail, I would finish the job for him. If I hadn't, I would have died as well as Albus."

"Why did you make the vow?" she asked simply.

"Because otherwise I would have been suspected of treason!" He hissed back. "What use could I be to the Order, then? I had to keep my position as spy!"

It took a few moments for Riana to realize exactly what he was saying. So he really was on the Order's side. She could almost kiss him, but she thought better of it. As quickly as if someone had flipped a page in a book, she had calmed down and a serene expression had surfaced on her face.

"What should I do, then?" she asked, smiling slightly.

Severus was taken by surprise by her sudden change of attitude. He had expected to meet more resistance. But he had no time to wonder about that.

"You have to stick to the plan. There will be many eyes watching you on the way, more than you would expect. Deke himself has recommended this, so you must play your part perfectly. Once you are in the Order, tell them you real name, and your mission… They will probably ask of you what they once had of me: to become a spy for them. Whether you accept or not, it's up to you. In the meantime, check back with me as often as you can, even after you will have become a member. I will need you to be honest in your reports, so I can see what it is best to tell the Dark Lord."

Riana had simply nodded throughout his speech. She smiled as he finished.

"And, perhaps, if they trust me enough, I could try to clear your name?"

He turned a rather surprised look, one eyebrow risen. That was exactly what he was about to suggest. Interpreting correctly the question in his eyes, she replied cheerfully.

"That was logic, not legilimancy."

Severus' thoughts raced uncontrollably to a certain 7th year Gryffindor. He finally remembered who had Hermione Granger reminded him of. Riana Craide had been one of the brightest students of her generation, just like Hermione was. Unfortunately, she had also been too much of a troublemaker to become Head Girl or at least a Ravenclaw Prefect. Though, like Hermione, she had been one of his best students.

"It's late." He suddenly said, remembering the time. "Get dressed, Grayback is waiting for you at the back door."

He was about to open the door, when her question made him stop.

"_Specularis_, right? Is it safe?"

"Yes. It was created especially so you could communicate with me. Make sure you're alone before using it."

And with those words, he left the room and closed the door behind him.

Riana knew she was supposed to hurry, but there were too many thoughts flying around her mind. She wished he had stayed a little longer, so she could ask him what Lupin was like. She was nervous. It had never been hard for her to act, but that when she knew who she was supposed to fool. _Well, I simply have to manage._ She thought shrugging, making her way to her closet, searching for something Greyback's prisoner would wear.


	4. The Beginning

**4. The Beginning**

Wearing an old black robe and the wand safely hidden in her pocket, Riana was just passing through the door to the back gardens of her family's masion. Greyback was leaning against a tree, waiting for her. As she reached him, a wry smile appeared on his face, though his eyes were glittering dangerously.

"Snapey been giving you a pep-talk?"

She wasn't very sure he was joking.

"I haven't spoken with him. It took me a lot to find this old thing, you know." She replied on a neutral tone, pointing at her clothes as an excuse as why she had took so long.

Fenrir didn't move. She could feel the tension in the air.

"He wasn't at the party when I got there."

This time she was sure – he was definitely not joking. She kept her cool. Riana knew that deceiving Greyback was vital. It wasn't just her life depending on it anymore, but Severus' as well.

"I do not know where he was, and believe me, I don't care." She retorted coldly. Now she was happy she had had that outburst in her father's study. They should all believe that she disliked Snape.

Greyback was just preparing to reply, when the door of the mansion opened and Lucius appeared in the doorway. He was frowning.

"Haven't you left yet?" He snapped, his voice somewhere between anger and annoyance.

Fenrir signaled her with a small move of the head and they both disapparated.

* * *

Severus had barely managed to escape the suspicious looks and rather uncomfortable questions of Deke and Lucius. He told them he had been on the balcony, getting a breath of fresh air, but it was obvious they weren't convinced by that. Luckily, no one had noticed him going up and down the staircase.

The party had been long over. Lucius and his family had left and the Craides, one member short, had gone about their usual business. Severus was left to do his best in sneaking around, so no Ministry witch or wizard would stumble across him – and they were combing the streets quite thoroughly. Dumbledore's death had made most of the wizarding community angry.

Where was he to go? Until then, he had slept in a small inn on Knockturn Alley, wearing a disguise of course, but only that morning he had noticed a group on wizards asking questions about him. He couldn't risk going back there again. Spinner's End was an even worse choice – it was most likely kept under continuos observation. And, obviously, the old Black house was swarming with Order members. But there was one place… The Riddle Residence. After the whole thing at the end of the Triwizard Tournament 2 years ago, the Dark Lord would surely not have been reckless enough to continue living there. However, Severus couldn't be too sure – the Dark Lord never told anyone where he was hiding.. at least not that Snape knew of.

Since it was the best plan he had, Severus decided he would check it out. With a whoosh of his cloak, he was gone.

* * *

With a small sound, two figures apparated in the middle of what seemed to be an underground labyrinth. Fenrir shot the woman one last suspicious and almost savage look, then headed for one of the passageways and disappeared in the darkness, leaving her alone and clueless.

_All for the best._ She thought. She was, after all, supposed to be a scared victim who was certain she would get either lycanthropy or death. _But I have my wand with me. Yes, I can keep it hidden, but what if the unexpected happens, and someone sees it? I have to find a plausible explanation to why I have it with me, but I don't use it… They… They threatened they'd kill me if I tried anything funny… but they meant that the general way – obviously, if they had known I had a wand, they would have taken it. Yeah, that sounds good, I had a wand, but I was too scared to remember that when they attacked, I could only think about running, escaping. But, eventually, they caught me. I hadn't used the wand, so they thought I didn't have one. They brought me here, blindfolded or something, because I don't know how to get out. And I don't just disapparate because… because… because I never passed my test! Brilliant! I just can't apparate. Silly, but simple – exactly what I need._

While making all the plans in her head, se was walking slowly, absently through random passageways.

_All right. So I'm scared silly, I don't have the courage to try anything against them – I'm desperate. I don't know if should choose lycanthropy or death. I don't want to die, definitely not; I must still show hope, if I will be interested in joining the Order._

She would have had much more to say to herself, but her thoughts raced back to the former Potions Master of Hogwarts. Many feelings had woken up in her, but the strongest by far were those of admiration and respect. He had managed to fool the Dark Lord for so many years… and those ungrateful people! They wouldn't understand he was still on their side even if Voldemort himself would come and tell them that. After all, they didn't believe it coming from Dumbledore, why would they believe it coming from somebody else?

Her heart shrank. _If they didn't believe it coming from Dumbledore… would they believe it coming from me?_ She pushed that thought away. She decided she would discuss it later with Snape. He probably knew how to handle that problem already, anyway. He always seemed to have all the answers. Riana chuckled. She had just remembered a rather amusing encounter between a young Ravenclaw and her Potions professor. Of course, it was amusing now – back then, she had been terrified.

In her mind's eye, Riana saw a 2nd year Ravenclaw wandering around the corridors, past curfew. A blonde, brown eyed girl, still in her school robes. She had left her Common Room to go explore the castle, but she ended up lost instead, and was desperately trying to find her way back before Peeves, Mrs. Norris, or Filch would run into her. She had just found herself in front of the Library, when a voice behind her made her freeze. And what would you be doing here at this hour, miss Craide? he had asked her. She had gulped and turned around slowly, muttering an excuse inaudibly. He had leaned towards her, telling her that, should it happen again he would take 100 points from her house and that she'd better go straight to bed. Just then, the image changed. The student was now 16 years old, Snape leaning towards her like he had before, only now she wasn't scared; something inside was begging him to come closer.

Blushing, Riana shook her head, pushing the image away. She knew it was perfectly normal for a student to have a crush on her teacher at such an age as 16, but the reason she had blushed was another. Once, he had caught her not paying attention in class. When he had asked why, she had only muttered an apology, avoiding the answer. He kept deducting points, but she still refused to speak, to the horror of her classmates. Then, he had used legilimancy. Images of what she had been daydreaming about flashed before her eyes, and she knew he had seen them too. He had looked positively shocked once he broke the spell. Without saying another word, he had went back to the lesson, before the confused eyes of the class. She had taken her seat, her whole face red as a tomato and tears of embarrassment in her eyes. She had been daydreaming about her and Snape, being together, in rather high detail. She always appreciated the fact that he had never told anyone anything, and had never brought it up again.

Her mind came tumbling down into reality. She had reached a passageway that was lighten with torches and she could hear – faintly, but still – movement and voices. She had finally made it to the populated part of the caves. Her first impulse was to move forward, but she paused instead. She hadn't had time to properly discuss things with Snape. Maybe she could contact him now, just to make sure that the charm worked properly.

She took out her wand, and took a look around. He had said to tap it on any surface. But if she would tap a wall, would the whole wall turn into a mirror? What if someone walked in? She couldn't mask a wall. After a moment, she frowned a little. _Well, he did say any surface…_ She raised her left hand, looking at her palm. Raising the wand, she whispered. "_Specularis!_"

* * *

The Riddle Residence was empty. Severus had checked it carefully, and it was clear that no one had lived there in years. It seemed even the Ministry had gotten tired of patrolling around the house after 2 years. Sighing in relief, he entered the only inhabitable room – the one where Voldemort himself had stayed, before he had recovered his body. Hurrying to the broken, filthy windows, he pulled what was left of the old ragged curtains, so no Muggles would see fire burning in the house again.

With a perfectly aimed charm, a roaring fire started spreading its heat from the fireplace. Only then could Severus dare to lie down on a dusty, screeching couch. He closed his eyes for a moment. That was obviously the best place for him to hide in, until Riana would finish her part.

And then he realized. He had been questioned about where he had gone, surely they wouldn't have just let her go. She wouldn't have told them the truth, he was convinced she had more sense than that… She knew that was her only hope… their only hope. He closed his eyes again. It was long since he had last felt anxiety. _If only she would find a good moment and contact me..._

A few moments later, he felt a strange stiffness in his left hand. It was growing cold, as if it was slowly freezing. He tried to move his fingers, but he couldn't. Frowning, he stood, looking at his hand. His palm now had the texture of a mirror, and in the mirror…

"Mr. Snape…" Riana began shyly.

A faint smile of relief appeared on his tired, but no longer worried-looking face.

"Clever girl." He said on a more cheerful tone.

She smiled back, knowing he had meant her idea of using the palm of her hand.

"So, how are things going? Any problems?" He asked, becoming serious again.

"Greyback suspects you had come to talk to me. I denied it, of course, but he didn't believe me. You should be careful." Came a just as serious and concerned answer.

"I know, Deke and Lucius have the same suspicion. But don't worry, neither of them know where I'm hiding, so I daresay I'm safe for now."

Riana was just about to ask where, but thought better of it. _If I don't know, I won't be able to tell even under torture. _The thought of torture made her shudder for a moment. She was aware it was something she might have to go through at some point in this whole adventure, though.

"Ran into Lupin yet?" He asked.

"No… By the way, should I do as planned? Try to… seduce him?" The idea didn't appeal to her at all. "I mean, I don't think they would really care what means I use, as long as I get into the Order, right?"

There was a longer pause, before Severus' short, cold and rather spit out than spoken reply came.

"Do what you have to do."

"_Finite Incantatem!_"

Severus had broken the charm. A moment later, he regretted it. It was normal for her to ask, and even more, it proved that she trusted him. It certainly wasn't her fault that Severus couldn't even picture her in Lupin's arms without getting an impossible urge to destroy something. He had blamed it on his hate for Lupin, of course.


	5. Truth or Dare?

**5. Truth or Dare?**

Riana stood there, still looking at her palm, her eyebrows a few inches higher than usual. He cut her off. Just like that. And she couldn't, for anything in the world, understand why. She hadn't even expressed the idea that she would _want_ to act as she was instructed when it came to Lupin. Quite the contrary, actually. And if _he_ wanted that, couldn't he have just said so? A moment later, she was shaking her head slightly, frowning. _Sentimental crap._ She thought, mentally scolding herself. She had indulged herself in reviewing old memories and she had been influenced by them. _He remains what I had found him to be when I tried to think of him as more than my professor – a block of ice. That's what he was. That's what he is. I doubt he will ever change._

These words spoken in her mind, Riana brought herself back to the situation at hand. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply, concentrating on the character she had to play. Using her imagination, she made images flash through her mind. Images of a massacre. She pictured the body of a man, and made herself remember his face as that of her father's. The same for the mother. She locked most of her old memories away in the back of her mind, and implanted new images instead. Her mother had taught her that trick when Deke had attempted to teach her Occlumency, and she turned out to be a disaster at it.

Minutes passed by, and Riana began to feel the desperation and fear that her character was supposed to feel. Tears flooded her eyes as she recollected the pictures of dead people, that she now considered to be her memories. For a moment, she allowed herself to giggle and send a silent thanks to her mother. It was working perfectly.

Putting on the earlier face, and trying her best to look almost sick from fear, she made her way to where the voices were coming from, her legs shaking slightly and leaning against random walls, showing a pretended dizziness.

With a mental grin, she thought: _The benefits of growing up with cunning Slytherins._

_

* * *

_Remus Lupin, looking like he hadn't had any rest in a week at least and more pale than ever, was limping slightly along the passageway. He could have burst into tears in any moment. His leg had been injured during the attack, when she… Remus shut his eyes tightly. He blamed himself, of course. They had divided, there had been five after her and five after himself. Truth be told, it was only a matter of luck that he hadn't died as well. But he still blamed himself. He couldn't have saved her, but he should have.

Desperate to prevent his mind from going back to the image of the attack, he called to his mind the freshest memory he had. He saw Minerva McGonagall's worried face, Arthur Weasley trying to encourage him and Molly sitting in a corner, weeping silently. The Order may have lost another member, but him, Lupin, had lost one of the persons he came to care most for. He had cared for James, and James had died. He had cared for Sirius, and Sirius was dead. He had cared for Dumbledore, and all that was left of him was a painting in the Headmistress' Office. Now Tonks…

A part of him just wanted to get away, to die before he would live to see more death. Tears sparkled in his eyes, but he forced himself not to cry. _Focus on the mission._ Minerva and Arthur had insisted that he at least take a small break, especially after the recent events. _Focus on the mission._ It was dangerous for him to be there – should he be recognized, Greyback would kill him on the spot. _Focus on the mission. _His leg was hurting more than ever and he felt himself shaking from exhaustion. _Focus on the mission…_

He needed something to take his mind off things. He felt useless. He could hardly hope to find people interested to join anymore. Some of Greyback's faithful werewolves had caught on to his intentions and were always watching him suspiciously. They had driven him away every time he was about to convince someone to join the Order. His only chance was to try and speak to those interested when none of them were around.

And then, he noticed something he hadn't seen before – or, rather, _someone._ A young woman that seemed to be in her 20s was cowering in a corner, crying silently. It looked as though she didn't dare to make more noise. Forgetting about his problems for a moment, Remus went to sit down next to her. She, on the other hand chose to ignore his presence. Either that, or she hadn't noticed it.

Remus allowed several moments to pass before speaking. He had been looking at her since he sat down, but she gave no sign of acknowledgement. She simply continued eyeing the floor as tears flowed down her cheeks, accompanied by silent sobs.

"What happened to you?" he finally asked.

There was a kindness in his voice that took Riana by surprise. Quickly composing her expression, she turned to him an emotionless face, her eyes staring at him blankly. It was as if she saw him, but wasn't really aware of his presence.

"They're all dead.." She muttered, closing her eyes and turning her head in the position it was in before she had been asked the question.

Remus didn't need to hear any more. It was clear enough, since it was something that had happened frequently in the past days.

"Your family?..." he asked, hesitating.

Riana merely nodded. Remus frowned a little. Something didn't add up, though. The girl was obviously in shock, and since he hadn't seen her there before, it must have happened that day. And yet, he hadn't heard of an attack being planned for that particular day. He had been away for a few hours, but he would have heard something if that was the case. And besides that, she didn't seem to be wounded. He frowned. That was most peculiar. Greyback never brought back any victims unless he had bitten them first. And come to think of it, the full moon had been a week ago. Greyback might have liked to attack in human form, but he always killed if he couldn't pass his lycanthropy. Why behave differently this time?

Deciding to pretend that he suspected nothing, he continued his inquiries, only trying to choose his words with greater care. Unfortunately, his exhaustion wasn't helping much.

"Were you bitten?"

Riana sensed the change in his voice and fear took over her. Had she done something wrong? Hadn't she been convincing enough? What was she to do now? Stick to the plan and hope it'll work, or tell the truth and risk getting caught? _Severus!_ She yelled in her head, shutting her eyes tight. _What do I do?_ However, since none of them had the faintest notions of telepathy, the cry was never answered. She was on her own, left to take the best possible decision.

Over Remus' shoulder, two werewolves were watching the scene intensely.

Taking a deep breath and deciding on the spot, she shook her head slowly as an answer to Lupin, and leaned her head back, so that the two observers wouldn't see her face anymore, then muttered quickly, so only he could hear.

"We're being watched. They'll kill me if I don't do as they say, so please pretend you believe whatever I tell you."

The werewolves had moved to a different angle, so they could catch her face. That was enough for Remus to understand what position she was in. He had been surprised at the sudden change in the girl's behavior, but he realized the situation immediately. And he decided to play along.

Greyback's spies saw how the two talked a little more, how Lupin was trying to comfort her, and she leaned to him, placing her head on his chest. That was enough for them. Both showing broad grins, they moved away, leaving the two their privacy and heading for Greyback's lair so they could make the report. As far as they knew, everything worked out prefectly.

On the other side, though, Riana sat up as soon as the two left her sight, and turned a serious face to Lupin. He was awaiting her explanation on the whole incident. Taking a deep breath and throwing another look around, to make sure there was no one else assigned to watch her, she began.

"My name is Riana Craide. I'm sure you've heard about the Craide family – pureblood wizards for generations, most, if not Death Eaters, at least declared supporters of the Dark Lord.

Lupin kept nodding slightly as she went on.

"Since Severus Snape lost his position in your Order, the Death Eaters found themselves at a loss – which is pretty much the reason why the Dark Lord allowed Greyback to start this wave of attacks: to keep your morale and confidence low."

Remus felt as if he had been slapped. Snape, again. James had died because Snape heard the prophecy. Sirius had died because Snape had dared him to leave the safety of his house. Dumbledore had been killed by Snape himself. And now, it seemed Tonks had been murdered because Snape had been discredited. He was usually a reasonable man, but this was getting to be too much for Lupin to bear. He was beginning to think that, should he kill Snape, he would ensure the survival of many other people dear to him.

Shaking that thought, Remus turned his attention back to Riana's words.

"So the Dark Lord decided to infiltrate another spy. That was supposed to be me. I was supposed to convince you I wanted to join the Order and once I was in, pass information to him." After a short pause, she continued with a weak smile. "And, incidentally, I _would_ like to join… I am no Death Eater, and I never wanted to be.. And since I got mixed up in this, I might as well take a side.."

She found that to be a poor ending, but it seemed to have the effect she had counted on. Remus merely nodded once.

"You'll have to discuss it with the Head of the Order of the Phoenix, though."

"Wonderful. I think mrs. McGonagall will be happy to see me." She replied with a smile, making Lupin's eyebrows jump a little higher than their usual position.


End file.
